The Westborough girls lacrosse team has more to accomplish, so the 11-0 start to its season, punctuated by Tuesday’s 15-6 win over Littleton, is just the start of a longer road ahead for the Rangers.

By Brandon Chase/Daily News Staff

WESTBOROUGH — The Westborough girls lacrosse team has more to accomplish, so the 11-0 start to its season, punctuated by Tuesday’s 15-6 win over Littleton, is just the start of a longer road ahead for the Rangers.

Tuesday’s victory, in fact, was Westborough’s 27th consecutive regular-season victory, after the Rangers went 16-0 last season. However, there’s one hurdle the defending Mid-Wach B champions haven’t cleared yet: the semifinal round of the postseason.

For the past three seasons, Westborough has bowed out in the semifinals of the Division 1 Central-West sectionals.

Last season, Minnechaug “nudged us out,” according to sophomore Casey McNamara, 8-6 in the semifinals. The two previous years, Westborough fell to Longmeadow in the semis, a team which has won 15 consecutive sectional titles.

Now, with another year of experience under their collective belt and nine returners, the Rangers have their sights set on their first sectional final appearance since 2012, and more.

“I think this journey sort of started last year, and credit to our veterans and our experienced players,” Westborough coach Colleen Debish said. “They came back this year and we were really missing a few key players that we graduated last year, but I think the kids that came back had a lot of varsity experience. … They were patient and really tried to help some of the younger kids and buy them some time to develop.”

One of those players who have developed is McNamara, who scored three goals on Tuesday, including a score in which she juked her way past a defender in a one-on-one matchup.

“We were re-defending on attack and I was staying back because I was letting Chloe [Goebel] go,” McNamara said. “And Nicole [Foster] got the ball back from her … and the she launched the ball to me and I just faked the goalie.”

The goal was Westborough’s third in a string of four unanswered goals to put the Rangers up 6-2 with 2:37 left in the first half. Littleton’s Lauren Faber scored twice in 26 seconds to bring the Tigers within two.

“We played really sloppy in the first half, but at half[time], we reconvened and got back out there and played like the team we are,” said Foster, who led Westborough with six goals and an assist on Tuesday. “Our energy wasn’t up but we got back in it.”

They got back in it by responding with six unanswered goals to start the second half as the offense got in sync. Tuesday marked the seventh consecutive game and eighth this season in which the Rangers put at least 10 goals on an opponent. They’ve averaged 12.1 goals per game this season.

“The biggest thing for us is composure, really,” Foster said. “Staying wide and being focused is the main reason that we’ve been really successful.”

The Rangers opened the second half with a quicker pace and scored five goals in 3:41 to go up 11-4.

“We’re good on playing off of each other so we can freelance easily,” McNamara said. “And if we have a fast break, we’re really spread out on attack so someone can be open at the net.”

Senior Olivia Weckwerth added four goals and an assist for Westborough and junior Lindsey Bromm tallied a goal and an assist.

“Nicole got a few great draws, which helped,” McNamara said.

Part of the Rangers’ continued success has been due to players molding into new roles and excelling and them, along with veterans leading the charge.

“Some kids’ roles were different even though they were returning,” Debish said. “Their roles this year are different. Casey has got a much bigger role this year and Nicole has had a huge role since her freshman year, so that’s how it’s changed.”

What hasn’t changed, though, is that Westborough is still one of the top teams in Central Mass. with its eyes on that elusive sectional title. And the Rangers don’t want the success to end any time soon.

“We’re trying to match that,” Debish said of the undefeated regular season. “So we’re still not deep enough [into the season], but this is a journey, we don’t want to rush it. We have a lot of fun together — three of the seniors have played for me since their freshman year and I’m not in any hurry to see them graduate.”

And as for Longmeadow, which Debish calls “a nemesis?”

“We’re going to get it back this year,” she said. “We are.”

Brandon Chase can be reached at 508-626-4402 or at bchase@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonNChase.